Ms Donna Chambers1, Ms Jodie Cheesman1, Ms Charlee MacDonald1, Mr Bob Mayer2

1Queensland Department of Agriculture & Fisheries, Mareeba, Australia, 2Queensland Department of Agriculture & Fisheries, Nambour, Australia

Biography:

Donna Chambers is an Entomologist at the Queensland Department of Agriculture and Fisheries in Mareeba. With a strong foundation in insect identification gained through her tenure at the Australian Quarantine and Inspection Service, Donna also has over 14 years of expertise in applied entomology. Her research spans a diverse array of horticultural crops including mango, avocado, papaya, banana, custard apple, macadamia nut, and coffee.

Donna has led successful research initiatives focusing on integrated pest management (IPM) in bananas and has been integral to collaborative projects with ACIAR in the Philippines and Papua New Guinea. She has extensive experience in semiochemical and trap development for spotting bugs and thrips and has cultured and applied entomopathogens against Fall armyworm and fruit flies. Her contributions also include the collection of biological control agents, alongside her role in delivering comprehensive extension programs and training on cultural control methods for coffee berry borer.

Abstract:

Banana spotting bugs (BSB) Amblypelta lutescens lutescens pose significant challenges to horticultural crops in Australia, yet comprehensive studies on their movements within agricultural systems are lacking. Previous research has primarily relied on pheromone traps to assess BSB distribution, leaving gaps in understanding individual insect behaviours crucial for effective pest management. This preliminary study aims to explore the feasibility and effectiveness of harmonic radar (HR) tracking as a novel approach to studying movement of BSB in horticultural settings.

HR tracking presents a unique opportunity to fill these knowledge gaps. By attaching HR tags to BSB adults, this study seeks to monitor their short-range dispersal within cultivated crops in real time, thereby providing data for enhancing the precision of pest monitoring and control strategies.

Preliminary findings from initial HR tracking experiments, in avocado (Persea americana) orchards and adjacent Mock orange (Murraya paniculata) plantings in northern Queensland, demonstrate promising results. These early insights highlight the potential of HR technology to measure BSB movements once camouflaged within a tree and reveal the limited movement of the bug once within the canopy.  Further research in this field could increase our understanding of BSB navigation patterns towards food sources, selection of oviposition sites within tree canopies, and strategies for evading predators.